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nocorruptionnohatebepositive · 2 months

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love no hate

We should love our language, culture & faith.

We should not give up one love for other love, we should not love one & hate other

We should not indulge in hate & violence against other peaceful neighbors. Social, political, community leaders should try to suggest middle path & SOLVE PROBLEMS, they should not too much highlight the differences & hate diverse thoughts. They should not stress that one community alone has life-death issues & other social groups are not important

Africa, South America & Australia lost its free sprit & culture, now they follow European culture.

Japan Korea China have their own culture, they don’t fight too many wars. But Africans & South American have violent armed rebels & mafia, they not progressing because they have lost their culture & brotherhood

How Portuguese and other European conquerers made thousands of Indians, Africans, Brazilians as slaves (to SUPPRESS them as bonded LABOUR & stress racial and cultural superiority)👇🏻

👇🏻

"although slavery was a worldwide institution for thousands of years, nowhere in the world was slavery a controversial issue prior to the 18th century. People of every race and color were enslaved – and enslaved others.

White people were still being bought and sold as slaves in the Ottoman Empire, decades after American blacks were freed.

Everyone hated the idea of being a slave but few had any qualms about enslaving others. Slavery was just not an issue, not even among intellectuals, much less among political leaders, until the 18th century – and then it was an issue only in Western civilization."

Only after INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION in Europe people in there started UNIVERSAL EDUCATION so that they get EDUCATED / SKILLED LABOUR . Before that most societies in the world kept the poor uneducated and socially backward

Slavery exploitation is an evil which has been prevalent from ancient times in most of the societies

👇🏻

Jews have literature / documents to show how they were enslaved by Egyptians and Babylonians

Slavery, Exploitation very prevalent evil of most societies in ancient times. The purpose appears to ensure people of certain races/ classes are kept as BONDED LABOUR from birth 👇🏻

Clearly caste-JATI system followed in India was an In-human behaviour of exploitation and suppression of people for using them as Labour.

Now It is the duty of more rich and PRIVILEGED to help poor and socially vulnerable people and ensure mutual respect and equality in society.

The ancient concept of all “VARNA” was misused to create unjust division of labour, the fact that varna only means human behaviour pattern - WITHOUT ANY LINK TO CASTE OR FAMILY OF BIRTH was misinterpreted and the fact that “ All varnas lead to me (Krishna)” was suppressed . Four children of same parents can follow the behaviour pattern of four different varnas, appeared to be the ancient concept of varna. Which was misused as family based varnas during the period when slavery started to be followed in other parts of the world

👇🏻

“The unfortunate impression throughout the world (has been) that while the Hindus were grovelling in the mud of these social evils and were conservative, the Muslims in India were free from them, and as compared to the Hindus were a progressive people. That such an impression should prevail, is of course surprising to those who know the Muslim Society in India at close quarters.” Thus spake Ambedkar in “Pakistan or the Partition of India”

Dr.Ambedkar adds, “Take the caste system. Islam speaks of brotherhood. Everybody infers that Islam must be free from slavery and caste. Regarding slavery nothing needs to be said. It stands abolished now by law. But while it existed much of its support was derived from Islam. If slavery has gone, caste has remained.”

Dr.Ambedkar proceeds to quote from the Census report to show the division of Muslim society between two broad categories — Ashrāf and Ajlāf.

“Ashrāf means ‘noble’ and includes all undoubted descendants of foreigners and converts from high caste Hindus. All other Mahomedans including the occupational groups and all converts of lower ranks, are known by the contemptuous terms, ‘Ajlaf, “wretches” or “mean people”: they are also called Kamina. In some places a third class, called Arzal or ‘lowest of all’ is added. With them no other Mahomedan would associate, and they are forbidden to enter the mosque or to use the public burial ground. Within these groups there are castes with social precedence of exactly the same nature as one finds among the Hindus.”

Ziauddin Barani, the preeminent historian of the Sultanate period, approvingly cites several instances of racial discrimination against Indian Muslims in his book Tarikh-e Firoz Shahi. He relates how, Nizam ul Mulk Junaidi, one of the high courtiers of Sultan Iltutmish, was dismissed from service when it was discovered that his grandfather had been a Julaha, that is, of the weaver caste. The same book attributes these words to Sultan Balban, “I know that God has blessed me with one characteristic, and that is that I simply cannot tolerate a low-born razil occupying any respectable position, and whenever I see such people my blood begins to boil. I cannot employ the son of a low-born or incapable person in the administration of my kingdom, which has been given to me by God. I cannot grant him any service or land grant.”

In his book on statecraft, Fatawa-e Jahandari, Barani provided a better religious rationale for social hierarchy than Manu Smriti ever could. He says, “When the All-Powerful God produces some good or bad in a human being, He gives him the capacity needed to express that particular good or bad quality. This capacity is hereditary, and because goodness is given to those who adopt good professions, they have been called as of high status, free-born, pious, religious, and of superior lineage. Only such people and groups deserve posts and positions in the government of the Muslims. One should not be deceived by the low-born, for their merits are false, not genuine.”

#only love no hate no discrimination or slavery

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the-canary · 6 years

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Kitchen Royalty - B.B (8/15)

Summary: Falling in love wasn’t on the menu, but neither was finding prince charming looking like a trash raccoon and living in your industrial freezer. (Pastry AU! Reader/Bucky Barnes)

Prompt: Sleeping Beauty

Masterlist

A/N: This is for @ciarawritesmarvel ‘s 1k challenge. *glares at chapter, only for chapter to glare back*

Please enjoy and feedback is always appreciated.

The “talk” between you and Bucky doesn’t happen right away as it should, what with your building supervisor calling you and saying he has to have you come back to look at your apartment -- the rattling of pipes just being an infestation in disguise. You weren’t going back there anytime soon, as you prepared moving some stuff into storage and bringing some more clothing back with you. Between the two of you and Maria, the shop and the orders keep going but it isn’t the same as it was before. Smiles replaced with concerned looks and shying away from the biggest secrets at hand, as Bucky sees you look at the letter from time to time, because he is fully aware of what Marjorie's is -- it had been his mother’s major competition once across the bridge once, before it got too grand scale and now only had stores in the more “upper class” side of New York. However, the cold side of business never seemed important to you, as you smile caked in flour and other ingredients to your customers.

However, here you were -kind, selfless you- claiming that you were the daughter of someone who ran such a company. He couldn’t believe it, but frankly Bucky couldn’t remember much from a certain time either. Besides, he has his own fish to fry, as you knock on the door to his little room one Saturday evening, a week after you have received the letter, with bag at hand and wearing a wistful smile.

“If you’re okay with talking to tonight, I brought cake and we could make some coffee,” you declare as blue eyes watch you shuffle nervously for a moment.

“Yeah,” he gets up with a defeated sigh, as if he is getting ready to face the firing squad.

While, you were a good baker, you weren’t a miracle worker or patient enough to bake some things, or just weren’t good enough, at least in your head. The dreaded lava cake was one of them, but you loved to indulge on them when you could, especially from Pietro’s main workplace. The head chef and owner of Barton’s --an older, grumpy man that liked to tease Pietro-- Clint was an expert at making it. It was your comfort food and you were going to need after looking back at how exactly you started SB Pastry . After eating dinner, you feel blue eyes watching your every move from the other side of the counter as you take the cake out of the container and plate it with a side of vanilla ice cream.

“My dad’s store wasn’t always so big, ya know?” you start off, as you take a spoon and cut the cake in half, watching the dark chocolate spill out, “He had one or two stores that he kept watch over, named them after his ma, entered competitions and just liked making people happy. Married, had my brothers and I. Worked everyday until he got sick, but never complained. Not once in his life.”

Bucky watches you take a bite out before digging in with his own spoon. You rub your eye with your sleeve, promising that you won’t cry thinking about your old man, you know he would have always wanted you smiling.

“Worked himself to death. Ma couldn’t pay the bills or keep the shops open on her own, so some financial consultants took it over on her behalf, made it what it is today,” you look away for a moment and huff out a breathe as Bucky’s hand softly grabs yours, “It survived, but at a cost and I couldn’t live with that. I’ve always been the firecracker in the family compared to my brothers. Fought tooth and nail with my mom, with the investors until I came of age. I took my share of what dad left and ran to Queens. This store is the only thing I have left of him.”

“You’re trying to keep his memory alive,” Bucky asks softly, as you nod though you vaguely remember the man that taught you how to bake and to be kind to everyone you met.

“It’s a struggle keeping this place open half the time,” you admit, remembering the last time you had looked into the accounting books, “And neither Rumlow or Rollins are gonna back down from destroying any potential competition.”

“You don’t have to enter,” Bucky tries to deflate your subtle anger, as you dig into the innocent ice cream before taking another bite and shaking your head. The bitterness of the dark chocolate matching your words.

“I’m not gonna coward and run away, Buck,” you explain, “I gotta do this.”

“Stubborn,” he says with a laugh, as you shrug. The room is quite for a long moment, as Bucky gains the courage to talk, slowly taking off the glove on his left hand to show the metal you had only seen once before. Your eyes meet, as he gives you a sad smile.

“Signed up for the army straight out of high school. Did a couple of tours, killed people,” Bucky stops and take a quick bite of the cake, “Lost my arm in an attackand got sent back home. It’s been a struggle since I came back, doll.”

You’re silent as he hangs his head, waiting for you to say something, kick him out or tell him that he was an idiot for getting caught up in a hopeless war, he’s heard it all before but he knows it would kill him hearing it from your pretty lips. Instead he hears you whisper: Can I touch it?

He nods and gasps silently at the change in density of his metal hand. He feels you lift it and press it to your face, cradling it like its fine china and not some type of monstersity. Something soft presses against the center, as he lets out a choked sob at the immediate acceptance you have of him, of the endless kindness you have shown him, and in the stillness of your kitchen -- something bittersweet, like the ice cream covered in chocolate, begins to bloom in his chest.

Over the next couple of days, Bucky watches you apply and prepare your proposal with Maria, who had at least two degrees in business, from what he understood. To enter the competition, you needed a corporate sponsor and the two of you had thought it would be best to ask the one man that had brought the spotlight to your little store -- Tony Stark. It was a long shot, but there was an excited grin on your face that Bucky couldn’t help but admire. He had promised himself that he would stay as long as you would need him, then he would consider going back home -- going back to Brooklyn and his own life. Even if you hadn’t rejected who he was and his past, he couldn't keep taking advantage of your kindness forever, he needed to move on and find his own way.

“Buck,” you drag him out of his thoughts after the morning rush, as he notices you holding a plastic folder, “Do you wanna see our finished proposal?”

Blue eyes soften at the sight of you excited over your concept and gives you a look over as you are dressed in a black dress and heels,. Happy having gotten you a meeting with Mr. Stark for later in the day, after you had pleaded with him relentlessly. Excitement and a mixed of emotions bubbled in his chest as he nodded, you handing him the folder with a huge smile. He looks over it once, twice -- eyes widening at the signature of your proposal... pudding .

“Isn’t that a little conventional for a bakery?” he questions, as you look away a little embarrassed.

“It’s fulfilling a promise from a long time ago, okay?” you explain, a bit shier than before. Bucky nods, though a little unconvinced, thus he decides to say the first thing that pops up into his head.

“What? From a boy?”

“Yeah, my pudding prince,” you admit, as Bucky sees how the look in your face softens as if almost lost in a sweet memory, “I know it’s silly and I doubt he would even care, much less remember, but I promised if I entered this competition...I would use pudding.”

Bucky stands frozen for awhile, as you turn to look at him a little worried. His grip tightens on the folder, but before you can ask if anything is wrong, Maria comes barreling into the kitchen.

“Mr. Stark is here!” she declares, as you jump out of your business dress for a moment, thinking that you were going to go over there and not that the billionaire would drive to your dingy shop in Queens.

“Oh shit,” you grab the folder, grasping Bucky’s hand for a moment and dragging him out of his stupor, “Wish me luck!”

“You don’t need it, but good luck,” he gives you a boyish grin, the more carefree you have seen him in all the time you had known him, as he squeezes your hand tightly before letting go. Mr. Stark’s voice declaring that he is here and the excited crowd in the front of the shop dragging you away. Bucky is left alone in the back, as a faint memory bubbles to the surface.

“Pudding, huh?” is all he manages to say to himself.

Part 9

#ciarasdisney1kchallenge #bucky x reader #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes fic #bucky barnes fan fic #bucky barnes fanfic #bucky barnes pastry au #series: kitchen royalty #fabiola trying to write

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paleorecipecookbook · 5 years

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What To Do & Where To Eat in Santa Barbara

It’s been a hot minute since I traveled to California, which is really a shame since it’s a quick direct flight for me and it immediately feels like I’m in some far away vacation land. Well, that’s pretty much exactly what it is. Especially Santa Barbara. I hadn’t spent much time in Santa Barbara before this trip and now I’m wondering why it hasn’t been a normal yearly occurrence for me. This sleepy little ocean town has become a bustling area to try amazing food, sip on about a million glasses of wine, and take in the sea breeze as you dip your toes in the water. It’s just simply lovely.

And one of the best parts about being in Santa Barbara is that you can make your way into Santa Ynez Valley. I went to Santa Ynez Valley last year and absolutely fell in love with the area and this time around it was even more beautiful because of all the rain they have been getting recently. The rolling hills of the valley were so incredibly green and everywhere you turn there is another beautiful vineyard. It really is a breathtaking area. And since I didn’t check out the tiny town of Los Alamos when I was in SYV the year before, we decided to stay at the newly renovated Skyview Motel. You can see this iconic roadside motel from the highway and from downtown Los Alamos since it’s perched on a hillside overlooking wine country. And the motel itself includes a beautiful restauant, pool and the cutest rooms – many that include their own patio with personal firepit. I was welcomed by a cute cat each morning who loved our patio furniture as it’s bed. Since it wasn’t warm enough to hang out by the pool while we were there, we enjoyed some cocktails at the restaurant before making our way into town to try even more wine!

When you are in Los Alamos, you have a full block of restaurants, bakeries and tasting rooms to check out, so you can rent a bike from the Skyview Motel and bike into town for a buzzed and full afternoon. We first stopped in at Casa Dumetz for a wine tasting, a really really delicious wine tasting. I’m not huge in to wine or really even know what I like, but I know I enjoyed every single one of these wines. Casa Dumetz makes highly acclaimed reds and whites with premiere fruit grown exclusively in Santa Barbara County vineyards and the wine tasting room shows how much love goes into each one of these bottles.

And after you try the wine tasting, you can wander next door to Valle Fresh to enjoy some tacos and tapas while you check out all the beers and ciders in Babi’s Beer Emporium. All three spots are owned by chief winemaker Sonja Magdevski to ensure that everyone in your group is happy and satisfied. We ordered a carrot appetizer to get in some extra veggies on our trip, then we loaded up with delicious tacos. It was incredibly easy to eat gluten free here since all the taco shells are made in-house with corn. Everything was so fresh and delicious! We really loved this spot.

Then for our first dinner in Santa Ynez Valley, we made our way to Solvang (where I stayed last time) to the restaurant First & Oak. This restaurant is located inside the Mirabelle Inn and is considered one of the best spots in Santa Ynez Valley since it includes some of the most fresh local ingredients. First & Oak includes many small plates so you can try a ton of different things on their menu, and they recommend creating your own tasting menu to ensure you get the full experience. We ended up both trying a four-course tasting menu and I think three would have been a better idea because we were STUFFED. So so stuffed. I tried the lobster bisque, halibut, pork risotto and white chocolate meringue. Everything was fantastic and the server was so helpful making sure everything we ordered was gluten free! And if you are wine tasting during the day, the owners of First & Oak also own Coquelicot Estate Vineyard in Los Olivos, which is just a quick drive away from Solvang.

Another meal we had in Los Alamos while we stayed there was at Pico at the Los Alamos General Store. This restaurant is a beautiful spot that serves farm-to-table upscale comfort food. The restaurant also shares their building with local Lumen Wines where you can try all their wines in their tasting room. We tried the mushroom salad, brussels sprouts and short rib, and everything was so fresh and served up beautifully.

And before we left, we ended up eating at Plenty on Bell a couple of times for breakfast! We loved this spot and everything we tasted was cooked to perfection. I ordered the short rib hash and the short ribs and potatoes were both crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Many people also recommended Bob’s Well Bread Bakery but I didn’t see too many gluten free options on the menu so we stuck with Plenty instead. But if you don’t eat gluten free, I heard Bob’s is fantastic!

Then once we had our fill of the countryside, we made our way back to Santa Barbara to see all it has to offer. We were lucky enough to stay at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara and soak up this absolutely stunning property. This was my first time staying at a Ritz-Carlton resort and it completely lived up to its name. Not only was the staff incredibly attentive and helpful at every turn, but the property itself was perfection. There was always something to do, something to see, and some sort of drink to indulge in. The oceanfront property includes 2 miles of beach to walk on, a nature walk to take your dogs on (yes, it’s dog-friendly!), and they have beautiful pools, hot tubs, and fun games like bag toss and ladders throughout every corner. We spent almost an entire day on the property just having cocktails and playing games. There was really no point in leaving!

Two things I can’t recommend enough is eating at Angel Oak for Sunday brunch AND checking out the Club Lounge on the property. While we ate at Angel Oak for brunch, we were able to sit on the patio overlooking the ocean while professional whale watchers looked on for any signs of whales swimming by. We sadly didn’t get to see any whales ourselves but many people talked about the whales they had seen earlier. I ordered the cobb crab salad when we ate here and it was AMAZING! I hate salads but I ate every bite of this one.

But if you don’t get to see any whales, not to worry, the Club Lounge will keep you happy and entertained. The Club Lounge is very exclusive since they only let about 30-35 rooms enjoy the services that the Club has to offer. In the Club, you’ll have a personal concierge to help you with anything you need whether you need a glass of wine or champagne or a house-made latte. Then you also have a ton of amazing snacks to choose from, including gluten free snacks and treats. I spent so much time in this lounge working on my computer, enjoying breakfast, and getting some snacks to take on the go. It was such an amazing spot to relax and unwind while catching up on work. I loved it so so much!

Then for our first dinner in Santa Barbara, we headed to Les Marchands Restaurant and Wine Shop. This spot was named “Wine Bar of the Year since it is led by a world-class team of certified sommeliers and wine profressionals. You’ll also find more than 400 selections of wine at this spot. So if you’re a wine lover, this is definitely your spot! I found it a tad more challenging to find gluten free items here since many of their entrees are pasta or include wheat, but we still enjoyed a fantastic waygu steak while we were there!

Then for our last full day in Santa Barbara, we finally took a break from all the wine and got to moving. We wandered around Stearns Wharf & Harbor to see all the shops, then we walked down by the ocean, then finally made our way to state street and into Salt. In downtown you would never know that you can find the largest Himalayan salt cave in North America. I always see people with Himalayan salt lamps next to their bed and I never really knew why, but I found out in my own salt session that Himalayan salt has a ton of different benefits like supporting respiratory health, promoting sinus health, preventing muscle cramps, and promotes bone strength, along with a ton of other benefits. And while you’re in the Salt Cave, you can simply enjoy a 45-minute meditation session or you can always book a treatment such as a massage, scrub or a Nexneuro vibration treatment. It’s all very earthy and crunchy, and I love it. It was a great way to break up the day and do something a little different.

Then after we meditated, we went straight to Tyger Tyger. Curry is a dish I could eat for every single meal and I talk about it quite frequently. So when my friend found out I was heading to SB, she said I absolutely HAD to eat at Tyger Tyger and order the pork curry. And HOT DAMN I’m so glad I listened to her because it was lifechanging curry. Not just good or great or amazing. It was LIFECHANGING. We also tried the Malayasian Curried Cauliflower and I almost licked my plate. I couldn’t get enough of this spot. Everything on their menu is marked gluten free and/or vegan, which makes it extremely easy to order. And it’s so unique compared any other spots because within the location, you’ll also find Dart Coffee and Monkey Shine ice cream. And the ice cream has an Asian flair to eat because you’ll find selections like Black Sesame and Mango Sticky Rice soft serve with fruity and crunchy toppings to sprinkle all over.

And for my last meal in Santa Barbara, my friend took me to LoQuita to enjoy some traditional cooking methods of Spain. I’ve never been to Spain but now it’s at the top of my list after experiencing LoQuita. This meal was absolutely fantastic, I can’t say enough about it. Everything was so incredibly fresh and flavorful. Like OMG flavorful. We enjoyed the Jamón tasting, the oyster mushrooms, cauliflower, spanish tortilla, and FANTASTIC chorizo paella. If you are ever in Santa Barbara, this spot is a complete must!!

I hope this post gives you some inspiration to create your own Santa Barbara trip in the future! I can’t say enough about Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez Valley. They are both amazing places to visit that aren’t overwhelmed by traffic and people. It’s just a great place to get away, relax and enjoy all that California has to offer. And now I’m already planning my next trip back so I can check out even more restaurants when I’m there! Be sure to read below because I have even more recommendations for when you are there!

Quick Summary of my SYV & SB Trip Favorites:

Hotels

Skyview Motel

Ritz-Carlton Bacara

Restaurants

Valle Fresh in Los Alamos

First & Oak in Solvang

Pico at the Los Alamos General Store in Los Alamos

Plenty on Bell in Los Alamos

Angel Oak at the Ritz-Carlton

Les Marchands Restaurant and Wine Shop in Santa Barbara

Tyger Tyger in Santa Barbara

LoQuita in Santa Barbara

And if you’re staying for more than just a few days, here are even more restaurant recommendations –

Lilac Patisserie

ParadICE Hawaiian Shave Ice

The Lark

The Lucky Penny for gluten free pizza

The Honey B

Santa Barbara Public Market

Ty Lounge at Four Seasons Resort in Montecito – official drink of Santa Barbara

And there are also about a million things to do while you’re in Santa Barbara –

Go to Stearns Wharf & Harbor

Check out The Funk Zone – one of the cutest areas in Santa Barbara with lots of shops, restaurants and wine tasting rooms. It reminds me of RiNo in Denver because it’s filled with old warehouses and manufacturing plants with a ton of artists’ studios and galleries, breweries and other shops. It’s a total different feel from everything else you find in Santa Barbara

Go on the Urban Wine Trail – more than 2 dozen wine tasting rooms all within blocks of downtown, which means you don’t have to drive into the valley and you can ditch your car and walk to almost any of them without worrying about how you will get home once you enjoy a few too many tastings. Here are just some of the tasting rooms you can check out –

Kunin Wines

Santa Barbara Wine Collective

The Valley Project

Riverbench Santa Barbara

Wineries of the Presidio Neighborhood

Go to the Farmers Market! It’s held almost every day in a different spot so you can always get the freshest ingredients, no matter what day it is.

Check out Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

Take a City Tour of Santa Barbara on the SB Trolley

Rent a bike, roller blades, coupe, or a surrey with Wheel Fun Rentals to easily get around town

Go kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding with Paddle Sports Center

Go hiking nearby

Carpinteria Bluffs

Inspiration Point

Arroyo Burro Beach to Goleta

Lizard’s Mouth

Refugio to El Capitan

Bill Wallace Trail

Gaviota Peak

Gaviota Wind Caves

Go to Montecito for some fancy shopping

Wander down State Street for cool stores and shops

This trip was hosted by Visit Santa Ynez Valley and Visit Santa Barbara, but all opinions are my own!

The post What To Do & Where To Eat in Santa Barbara appeared first on PaleOMG - Paleo Recipes.

Sourse of this article: http://paleomg.com/

#paleo #recipe #paleo diet #food #yum #healthy #delicious

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ive-always-been-a-pirate · 7 years

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Standing In The Outfield (1/2) + A CS Fanfic

A two part fic about baseball, the friend zone, and what happens when your unresolved feelings bring you home after five years away. Inspired by the song 'The Outfield' by The Night Game.

Rating: T/M (pretty tame for now, but it gets steamy in the second part) Word Count: 3.5K

Hello out there! I apologize that it’s taken me so long to write/post anything. The past couple of months have been insane (school starting, a death in the family, various other drama, blah blah blah) but I’m back! I have a few little stories like this that I’m hoping to post between updates of my multichapter stories. Here’s the first part of this one - also on FF.net and AO3.

To this day, Killian still couldn't exactly figure out how they'd ended up in such a comfortable yet confusing relationship. Ugh, he hated that term - relationship. Well, it was Emma who really loathed that word. He'd just come to share the opinion because….well, because he liked sharing things with her.

Many things. Okay, all things.

Sharing was perhaps a vague way to put it though. She rarely asked for much and he'd always been all too willing to give her everything he could - several answers to the dozens of tests Mr. Gold administered in their junior high algebra class, the black windbreaker he tossed over the fence to her when she came to every single one of his baseball games, and even some really crappy dating advice when it came to who she should go to the Sadie Hawkins dance with. He should have asked her to be his date before the lead pitcher of the varsity team managed to, but he didn't - and therefore, he'd had to support her choice to accompany Storybrooke High's most eligibly overrated idiot to the decorated gym he was now sure as hell going to avoid come Friday night.

It wasn't like he wanted to go anyway. With the first round of the playoff tournament scheduled for the following Monday, the batting cages were probably a much better place for him to be. After all, it wasn't like Neal Cassidy was going to be throwing consistent strikes if he was out all weekend trying to score with the girl Killian had dropped the ball with for years now.

Sure, he loved America's favorite pastime, but as thoughts of figurative "bases" crossed his mind, Killian realized how much he truly hated sports analogies.

It had been tough to encourage Emma to accept Neal's invitation, but he was fully convinced that karma was paying him back in good faith when she still ended up on his doorstep after the formal. He'd been surprised to see her standing there in her post date glory, her pale pink dress clinging to her figure and her tangled blonde hair loose against her shoulders. With her lightly colored high heels hanging from her fingers, she'd asked if she could come in - and once again, he couldn't deny her - not that he actually wanted to.

Their pattern of give and take with no protest picked right up as she changed into a pair of his sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt she plucked from his dresser drawer. He'd tried not to smile at how tiny she looked in the baggy clothing, using the distraction of making hot cocoa and trying not to read the 'SB Sluggers Club' title that stretched across the front of the shirt too many times.

He hadn't ever struggled quite this much when it came to staring at her as she scanned his limited movie collection. Her fingers skimmed the titles lightly, tracing the letters as she contemplated her options. He wasn't sure what had brought her to his humble home's living room after a night out with that Cassidy git, but he liked the outcome - the fact that she'd seemed to end up there with him so automatically.

"It's amusing that you're pretending to think this through, love," he grinned as handed her a mug and flopped onto the couch. "I'm pretty certain that any other film beyond your usual choice would be….inconceivable."

She smiled big at his fast conclusion, plucking the movie case from the shelf and tossing it to his lap. Taking her seat at his side seemed rather easy and he allowed himself to relish the way her leg bumped against his when she tugged a light quilt over her body.

"I know you don't like it as much as I do," she acknowledged as she snuggled beneath the blanket. "You can turn it off when I fall asleep."

He rose quickly and cued up the old movie player before glancing back with a dramatic eye roll. Killian admitted silently how much he loved her little retorts and facial expressions as he pressed play. Yes, refusing her requests was an ability he'd lost years ago….or maybe he never had such a skill in the first place.

"Wouldn't dream of it," he shook his head, moving back to the sofa and enjoying the way she leaned into him. "Staying here then, love?"

"Maybe," she mumbled with a yawn, his arm tucked around her. "Probably."

He'd never been quite so quick to accept such perplexing circumstances - well, at least not up until then. It would be a lie to say he ever thought twice about it after that.

He should have kissed her though - and lord knows he thought about the fact that he hadn't many times after that night.

Though he wasn't certain how they'd grown quite so close, the roots of their friendship were simple and perhaps even a bit fated. Emma lived only a few streets away and the sunny days of their childhood had brought her to the baseball field that sat on the block between their two homes. He was one of the youngest players on the club team and still very much a bench warmer when he'd first noticed her climbing the bleachers. It took him less than two innings to determine who she was - the younger sister of David Nolan, the three time captain of their rather talented group of athletes.

The fact that he'd ended up being such good pals with the popular leader of their team was something that still perplexed Killian, even now that David was competing at a junior college level a few hours away from their small hometown. The timing of their friendship had evolved when Killian most needed it - a mere two lonely months after his own older brother had passed tragically in a military accident. David had taken him beneath his wing quickly and with the man's consistent will to keep an eye out for his younger teammate, Killian soon found that he almost fit in perfectly with the Nolan family.

They spent loads of time together - summer days at a nearby lake, study sessions with friends and dozens of snacks, and even an occasional holiday gathering or two. Killian's own father was often working late nights or drowning in rum fueled misery which made accepting an invitation to a pick-up game in the park or the Nolan family's annual Fourth of July celebration an easy thing to do. He was beyond grateful that David had taken a liking to him and even more so when Emma seemed to as well.

It didn't take him long to like her just as much - well, maybe even a little more.

By the time David graduated, Emma had instantly stepped up to fill the role of Killian's best friend. If they weren't playing catch and quizzing each other on SAT prep, they were making late night movie plans and debating the proper amount of salt needed on some freshly popped popcorn. He made sure she always had a ride to school in the morning while Emma made sure he knew how to get the grass stains out of his uniform pants. She was always there for him whether he needed a pep talk after a tough game or a high five over the fence after he closed out a tough inning. Killian had never imagined he'd ever meet someone who understood him the way she always seemed to.

There was something about Emma and the way she made him feel - something wild and exciting that he couldn't totally explain. She made him feel hopeful - like maybe he could be something more than just Killian Jones, the relief pitcher for the Storybrooke Knights. He sure as hell wouldn't ever be meant for shining armor or hero status, but Emma almost made him believe in happily ever after - maybe a new beginning that even somehow included her. Well, maybe if he could ever work up the courage to suggest it.

He didn't though. Instead, April turned to May slowly, the green grass of the baseball diamond and a need to keep his curveball sharp about the only things keeping Killian from spending every second with her. Emma never told him about the dance or the date she'd apparently ended earlier than expected, not even the one time he'd worked up the courage to ask.

He was kind of grateful for that - he wasn't sure he really wanted to know.

Their senior year floated by in some sort of odd dream that Killian allowed himself to get used to - probably one of his more naive mistakes - and when she'd show up to his typically lonely house to indulge in a poor romantic comedy from the eighties or when she'd swing by the field to walk home with him after practice, he tried to convince himself that getting comfortable was a bad idea. It was a near impossible task when she observed him with those deep green eyes and a clever smirk. It was completely impossible when she fell asleep against his shoulder or took the leap of being candid with him about some little detail of her life.

He'd wanted to tell her how he really felt for ages by the time she mentioned another date with Neal. Everyone deserves a second chance - that's what she'd prefaced that conversation with. Then once she'd rescheduled their movie night again, Killian couldn't help the speculation that perhaps the third time really was a charm where Neal Cassidy was concerned. It only took one solitary and very repeated viewing of The Princess Bride to realize how much he loathed that number.

He knew he owed her his honesty, but giving in - maybe even telling her the whole truth about what she meant to him - wasn't a fear he ever dared face. It was cowardice in its worst form and Killian wondered why he was so afraid each time they ended up in one another's company on the porch swing to the side of his front door.

They were in that exact setting the night before the semifinal game when it all came to a head and he realized that his failure to put himself out there had led to an awful conclusion. Emma was his teammate's new girlfriend - yes, that teammate - and that meant his own position was now extremely obvious.

Killian Jones had somehow become trapped in the friend zone - and lord knows, he had absolutely no one to blame but himself.

"Bloody hell, mate," Robin grimaced, tugging his glove off and shaking his catching hand with a wince. "Save it for the mound."

Killian let out a deep exhale as he ignored the warning of the first baseman. Lifting his forearm, he wiped the light sweat from his brow before adjusting his cap. The blue brim felt firm between his fingers as he tugged it down over his stare just a bit. Emma had told him once that his uniform hat matched his eyes and he wasn't sure if he'd ever forget the way her mouth had curved at the corner when she'd said that. He peeked over toward the packed stands briefly as he reminisced that moment and immediately found himself grateful for the barrier the baseball cap was providing from the view that had him fuming.

"A few more, Jones," Robin nodded, crouching down with his mitt as he noticed what had Killian distracted. "I wouldn't be surprised to see you get called up tonight, especially if Cassidy doesn't get his head in the game."

He huffed at that, trying to ignore the comment as he wound up and threw a fastball right down the middle into Robin's glove. The loud smack of the rubber and cowhide against the inside of a leather mitt was a decent diversion, but it didn't totally keep his mind from wondering just what Neal was flirtatiously saying to the beautiful blonde standing just behind the fence.

Killian wasn't actually sure that the pair were an official item, but they'd certainly been spending a fair amount of time together for the past couple of weeks. He'd seen less of her, something he noticed rather quickly - especially on the nights they usually spent with a well known film or immersed in endless conversation. Killian supposed he missed her and as he peeked over to where she was chatting with the captain of their officially undefeated team, he admitted silently that he was getting awfully tired of it.

She looked beautiful all clad in casual jeans and a t-shirt with the name of the school he'd played for since their freshmen year. It was a familiar outfit she'd once completed with his jacket, the borrowed article of clothing drowning her in a wealth of black fabric. She looked almost incomplete without it and he tried to ignore how much he wanted to dig the old windbreaker out of his duffel bag. Maybe she didn't need it anymore. Maybe things were different now - and lord, that thought hurt.

"Looks like we better go," Robin said with his head tilted toward the dugout. "Ready, Jones?"

"Aye," Killian answered with a start toward the cement enclosure, knowing full well that his initial position on the field would be right between second and third while Neal lined up on the pitcher's mound. "Let's go."

He looked at her one more time as he jogged toward the bench, his feet snagging slightly on the grass when her gaze drifted to his. He could almost swear he saw it then - how much she'd missed him and their curious friendship - and he entertained the idea of telling her he felt the same way she seemed to.

Maybe he would. Maybe someday he'd be that brave. Maybe eventually he would finally spill his feelings to the girl watching him from a distance...or maybe he'd always stay in that same place - standing quietly in the outfield, sometimes literally and almost always figuratively.

They'd lost the game - not that the defeat was the hardest part of that evening. No, that honor belonged to the moment when he'd looked up to catch her reassuring gaze while walking toward the dugout and saw only a glimpse of her long hair blowing in the breeze as she jumped down from the bleachers to meet her boyfriend. The sight made his heart sink as his cleats grew heavy and he tried to settle with the knowledge that this was just how it was going to be now - she wasn't his. They were just friends.

Killian spent the rest of their last year of high school realizing how difficult it was going to be to accept that - but after three years in the minor leagues, two hundred miles of distance, and five years apart, he decided that maybe letting go of the golden haired girl from his small hometown was truly outside of his talent range.

But she was happy from what he could tell - and that was all that mattered, even if such a conclusion broke him into pieces.

He wasn't sure why he'd decided to take the coaching job at Storybrooke High when it opened up. The longtime patriarch and leader of the team, Marco Wood, had finally stepped down to pursue a well deserved retirement and when that announcement had caught his eye in the Daily Mirror - which he still subscribed to despite the fact that he now lived in New York - Killian had found himself with an odd desire to consider it. The sudden idea of returning to Maine was almost surreal. He hadn't crossed that town line in years and he'd certainly done his best to leave that life behind, but it was almost like a sign - and it wasn't like he had anything going for him since he'd opted to throw in the towel on his baseball career.

It wasn't much of a career anyway - several seasons of riding the pine and concrete in the minor league dugout for the New York Pirates, a relatively unknown team that rarely led anyone to the majors. Sure, the opportunity had allowed him to remain close to the game he had always loved, but it had pulled him away from the girl he probably could have loved if given the chance.

He'd likely never forget the night he'd told her he was leaving. The few tears she had shed and the image of her forced supportive smile didn't make up a fond memory.

He had managed to pick up a job for a local athletic magazine in the off season, his need to stay busy prodding him into being okay with reporting game scores and stats for sports he didn't know extremely well. The work was easy enough, but giving two weeks notice and moving out of his apartment one weekend in late February was even easier. It was probably all a bit impulsive - how he'd jumped at a chance to move back with very little prodding, especially when he had left Storybrooke in a very similar way only half a decade earlier. He couldn't help the way it just felt right and as he loaded up his car with a few sparse boxes and his old memories of home, he decided not to fight it.

It was a task that turned out to be rather easy once he settled into his new role back on that familiar field, fresh chalk lines and intricately moved grass a welcome view. The school's new principal - another town native named Archibald Hopper - was thrilled to have him there and made it known by updating the team's uniforms and equipment before the first practice took place in March. He'd even offered Killian an office….well, the small room attached to one of the abandoned locker rooms in the old wing of Storybrooke High. It was a quiet space and Killian found out instantly how much he valued that while he organized his things on the built in shelves and the old desk that rested near the single window.

There wasn't much to display - his few team photos from over the years, several small trophies, and a couple of baseballs signed by players he'd idolized as a younger man. He was sorting through his box of collected cards when his fingers fumbled over an old picture, one he'd almost forgotten about until that nostalgic moment.

It was her - well, them, and the faded film provoked an elated memory of the first summer tournament win he'd been a part of. The image made him chuckle softly - and not just because David had managed to sneak into the picture by jumping up behind them. Killian himself had been a sweaty mess when the candid shot had been snapped, his buttoned jersey half untucked while covered in dirt and grass stains. Emma looked brilliant, of course, with her hair woven into a loose braid but covered partially by a beat up baseball cap. She had one arm flung around his neck while her other hand held up a finger claiming they were number one. He remembered how he'd sure felt like it in that instance as she pulled him close, not caring that he was downright filthy after playing his heart out. He'd pitched two perfect innings and brought in a few runs with his triple in the eighth, but neither of those stats were the ultimate win of his evening.

No, that highlight had been the way she'd cheered him on all night and the way her face lit up when he'd winked at her while crossing home plate. Seeing her so proud and happy meant more to him than any victory.

He quickly dug an old empty frame out of the box he'd plopped down near his feet. Sliding the photograph behind the thin glass, he took one more glance at it before stationing it carefully on the second shelf with a sigh. It seemed like the proper place for the past to sit and remind him - or perhaps even haunt him. He wasn't sure which was preferable.

"Nice picture," a soft voice offered from the doorway. "I haven't seen that one for a long time."

Killian froze briefly, the air leaving his lungs in a surprised gasp as he worked up the courage to turn and face the words he hadn't expected to hear. He knew that voice though - even if he hadn't heard it for a number of years. It was the same one that played as the soundtrack of his childhood and the one he'd thought about more than he could ever admit. It was the one he had let slip away, but ultimately, it was the voice that had truly called him back here anyway. With his heart pounding in his tight chest, he spun slowly to meet the owner of the smooth tone and those gorgeous green eyes.

"Emma," he breathed, wondering if he sounded half as wrecked as he felt. "Hi."

Tagging some folks: @optomisticgirl, @xpumpkindumplingx, @laschatzi, @jennifer-morrison, @spartanguard, @teamhook, @kat2609, @thesschesthair, @timeless-love-story, @its-like-a-story-of-love, @shady-swan-jones, @kmomof4

#cs ff #cs au ff #captain swan #killian jones #emma swan #baseball!killian #cs friendship #gotta have that UST

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junker-town · 4 years

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Tactically Naive: Wayne Rooney for prime minister

The British secretary of health said footballers should take pay cuts during the coronavirus pandemic. Wayne Rooney reminded him that he should have bigger concerns.

Hello, and welcome to another edition of Tactically Naive, SB Nation’s weekly soccer column. We may be socially distant, but we still love you.

Wayne Rooney for prime minister

In times of strife, a nation needs heroes. And when a flailing government staffed by overpromoted clowns decides to take some heat off itself by pointing the finger of blame at professional footballers, then professional footballers need: Wayne Rooney.

How the past few days have played out is a disgrace. First the health secretary, Matt Hancock, in his daily update on coronavirus, said that Premier League players should take a pay cut. He was supposed to be giving the nation the latest on the biggest crisis we’ve faced in our lifetimes. Why was the pay of footballers even in his head? Was he desperate to divert attention from his government’s handling of this pandemic?

[reloads shotgun]

The Premier League then announced it was looking for its players to give up or defer wages by 30 per cent. This despite owners and the Premier League board knowing players were already deep in discussion about what their contribution should be. It seemed strange to me because every other decision in this process has been kept behind closed doors, but this had to be announced publicly. Why? It feels as if it’s to shame the players — to force them into a corner where they have to pick up the bill for lost revenue.

Rooney goes on to point out that “footballers,” as a category, encompasses a few very rich people and a lot of people in extremely precarious circumstances, and that the rich ones all pay considerable amounts of tax anyway, which should in theory be going towards public services.

Given that his column emerged around the same time that Liverpool, to loud booing, announced they would be availing themselves of the government’s scheme for furloughing workers, it’s probably fair to say the players are winning the PR battle, such as it is. At least within football.

Outside football, it’s harder to tell. Footballers are, of course, the preferred millionaires of anybody looking for somebody to blame. They are public figures, and some of them spend their money in quite extravagant ways. Whole sections of the English media are devoted to recording the indulgences of these feckless, usually working-class youths in horrified tones, offering them up to a nation powered by class snobbery and spite.

“Give nurses footballers’ wages” used to be a meme. Now, apparently, it’s government policy.

Oh, Kyle

Obviously some footballers can, on occasion, be a bit silly. The award for Footballer Most Likely to Appear in a Future Satire of Events Currently Unfolding goes to Kyle Walker, who this weekend apologised for hosting a “sex party” on the same day he issued a statement urging the public not to host sex parties to follow government guidelines on social distancing.

Foundational texts: Netherlands 5-1 Spain

Otherwise known as the game that launched a thousand “Is 2014 the best World Cup ever?” thinkpieces, an energy which lasted all the way through to the knockout stages. Then — with the obvious and glorious exception of Brazil’s self-immolation against Germany — things got a little flat.

This game endures for two reasons. The first is that it was very, very, very, very funny, in a chaotic and emergent way that sport does so well. Such defeats are often called “humbling” in coverage: the BBC report of this game, for example, notes that “Spain, looking to win a fourth consecutive major international trophy, were humbled and humiliated.”

But humbled comes with connotations of pridefulness, even arrogance — something to be corrected. Whereas Spain, here, didn’t look particularly arrogant or complacent. They just got done. For an entire cycle of international football they’d been essentially invincible, and now they were getting vincibled all over the shop. I would suggest that they were not humbled, but rather humanised. Or possibly re-humanised, given how hilariously human Spain at major tournaments had been before the triumphs of tiki-taka.

Here is G. K. Chesterton talking about the importance of “a mood of democracy” in the work of Charles Dickens:

There are two rooted spiritual realities out of which grow all kinds of democratic conception or sentiment of human equality. There are two things in which all men are manifestly and unmistakably equal. [...] But this is a spiritual certainty, that all men are tragic. And this, again, is an equally sublime spiritual certainty, that all men are comic. No special and private sorrow can be so dreadful as the fact of having to die. And no freak or deformity can be so funny as the mere fact of having two legs. Every man is important if he loses his life; and every man is funny if he loses his hat, and has to run after it.

The great thing about sport is you can have both tragedy and comedy at the same time without anybody actually having to lay down their lives. Here the great, all-conquering Spain died; and here, also, Spain had their hats knocked off their heads over and over again by Louis van Gaal’s giggling pranksters. In the process, they were returned to the rest of us, to the broad sweep of flawed humanity. And all it took was the very public crucifixion of San Iker.

The other reason it sticks in the memory is that after the game, Robin van Persie said this:

This is inexplicable. We trained all those weeks for this. The match has gone exactly as the coaching staff predicted.

I wrote about this at the time, and these words have stuck with me ever since. This is, on the face of it, an entirely peculiar thing to say: if something has gone entirely as predicted, how can it be inexplicable? And yet those apparent contradictions are reconciled by remembering that football is a horrible game where plans are made to fail and fail again.

What a miserable sport! You can turn up with an amazing plan, and implement it really well, and still get rolled over by some lousy finishing, or a couple of decent saves, or David Silva taking a relatively simple chance for 2-0. This game, then, stands as an apology from the universe to every football fan that watched their team get things absolutely right, only to lose anyway because goals are really hard. We were all van Persie, flying through the air, borne by the inexplicable knowledge that everything was going as it should, for once.

The best lockdown video you will see

Featuring, among other things, a perfect impression of Fabien Barthez.

GOAL OF THE CENTURY. CHOOSE YOU’RE FAVOURITE GOAL! pic.twitter.com/wM2cvnrAgl

— Sean O'Hanlon (@sohanlon23) April 4, 2020

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